About Diana:

Short Bio:

Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—a revolutionary approach to psychology that is changing our understanding of mental health. Drawing from the most current psychological research and contemplative wisdom, Diana bridges science with real-life practices to help people grow fulfilling and impactful lives. She is the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (September 2025). She's the host of the Wise Effort Podcast and her insights have been featured by NPR, Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Real Simple, and other national media.

Long Bio: 

Dr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, international trainer, and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based interventions, and psychological flexibility. With a background that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavior science, she is known for making complex psychological concepts both practical and inspiring.

A summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in Biopsychology, Dr.Hill earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, in collaboration with Dr. Debra Safer at Stanford University where she researched Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Appetite Awareness Training (AAT) for bulimia nervosa. She completed her clinical internship at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at La Luna Intensive Outpatient Center, where she later served as Clinical Director and developed their ACT and AAT-based treatment program.

A leading voice in the evolution of ACT and Process-Based Therapy, Dr. Hill works closely with pioneers in the field. She co-leads ACT BootCamp Training for Therapists with ACT founder Dr. Steven Hayes, and is actively involved in shaping the future of therapy—including the applications of AI, revolutionizing the diagnostic system, network modeling, and process-based approaches. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and curriculum developer for the University of California’s Climate Resilience Initiative, helping integrate ACT and mindfulness into interdisciplinary environmental education.

Dr. Hill has contributed to publications in the International Journal of Eating Disorders and co-authored a seminal article on Process-Based Therapy, advancing evidence-based clinical practice. She is a contributor to PsychFlex, a digital platform that helps clinicians incorporate ACT into their work and track client outcomes in real time with ecological measurements, and she regularly speaks at global conferences, including the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference, Innovations in Psychotherapy, and the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference.

In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Hill teaches at organizations and retreat centers such as InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. She is on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health and a board member of the Institute for Better Health.

She is the author of Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (Sounds True, 2025), The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and ACT Daily Journal, and her insights have been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Mindful, Prevention, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, and other leading media outlets. She is also the host of the Wise Effort podcast.

With over 20 years of study and practice in yoga and meditation, including studying in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Dr. Hill integrates contemplative practice into her approach to healing and growth. She lives in California where she raises two sons, cares for bees, and embodies the Wise Effort principles she teaches—living a life guided by presence, purpose, and compassion.

Links:

Connect with her at drdianahill.com or on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Insight Timer @drdianahill.

About Dean:

Dr. Dean Sherzai is a behavioral neurologist and neuroscientist whose entire life has been dedicated to behavioral change models at the community and population level. Dean completed his medical and neurology residencies at Georgetown University, followed by a subsequent fellowship in neurodegenerative diseases at the National Institutes of Health. He then pursued a second fellowship in Dementia and Geriatrics at the University of California, San Diego. He also holds two master’s degrees in Advanced Sciences at UCSD and in Epidemiology from Loma Linda University. He has received a PhD in Healthcare Leadership, focused on community empowerment, from Loma Linda University/Andrews University. Additionally, he completed the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School. His vision has always been to revolutionize healthcare by empowering communities to take control of their own health. 

Dr. Ayesha Sherzai is a vascular neurologist and a research scientist. After completing her residency, she completed a fellowship in vascular neurology and Epidemiology at Columbia University Neurological Institute of New York. Dr. Sherzai is at the tail end of a master’s degree in public health in lifestyle epidemiology from Loma Linda University. Knowing the importance of empowering her patients and their communities, she completed an extensive culinary training program in New York and now teaches large populations how to make tasty, easy, and healthy meals for their brain health. 

They are the authors of two best-selling books, The Alzheimer's Solution (2017, HarperCollins) and The 30 day Alzheimer's Solution (2021, HarperCollins). They are currently leading the largest community-based brain health initiative in the country.

About Michelle:

Michelle is an award-winning, NIH-funded researcher at the University of Michigan with thirty years studying how to help people change their healthy behavior in sustainable ways.

Her work focuses on how to adopt physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors in ways that can be sustained within the unpredictability of the real world - and her client list includes Kaiser Permanente, The Permanente Medical Group, Business Group on Health, Walmart, WW, and Anytime Fitness. 

Michelle’s research on creating sustainable change is recognized as uniquely pragmatic for real-world applications. Her advice is sought for prominent initiatives, including the World Health Organization’s expert group on the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity and she was selected to be the inaugural chair of the United States National Physical Activity Plan’s Communication Committee. She has also written two critically acclaimed books about how to support lasting changes in lifestyle behaviors, No Sweat and The Joy Choice.

Michelle has a doctorate in Psychology (PhD), master’s degrees in Health Behavior/Health Education (MPH) and Kinesiology (MS) from the University of Michigan and she is a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Michelle’s decades of academic research combined with her real-world coaching offers her a comprehensive perspective and permits her to create and scale engaging and practical sustainable-change systems for digital health and patient counseling. 

Michelle speaks around the world, trains clinicians in easy-to-use sustainable-change methods, and is frequently interviewed in major media outlets including The New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Prevention, Real Simple, and TIME. She ran with the Olympic Torch at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

Links:

Connect with Michelle at her website, MichelleSegar.com, or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelsegar/

Emeran A. Mayer is a Gastroenterologist, Neuroscientist and Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the Executive Director of the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience at UCLA and Founding Director of the Goodman Luskin Microbiome Center at UCLA. As one of the pioneers and leading researchers in the role of brain gut interactions in health and chronic disease, in particular in IBS, his scientific contributions to basic and translational enteric neurobiology with wide-ranging applications in clinical GI diseases and disorders is unparalleled. He has published close to 410 scientific papers, co-edited 3 books, published the best selling The Mind Gut Connection book in 2016 and The Gut Immune Connection book in June 2021. He is the recipient of the 2016 David McLean award from the American Psychosomatic Society and the 2017 Ismar Boas Medal from the German Society of Gastroenterology and Metabolic Disease. His most recent work has focused on alterations in the bidirectional communications within the brain gut microbiome system and their role in chronic inflammatory and functional diseases of the gut, obesity, and cognitive decline.

Links:

Dr. Mayer's Website: EmeranMayer.com

Dr. Mayer on Instagram and YouTube

Dr. Mayer's books, The Mind-Gut Connection and The Gut-Immune Connection

About Brady:

Brady Holmer is a researcher and science writer. He has a Master’s degree in Human Performance from the University of Florida. He frequently writes about exercise and nutrition in his popular newsletter, Physiologically Speaking, a publication dedicated to providing the latest science-based information on health and human performance.

Links:

Learn more about Brady at his website, bradyholmer.com

Follow Brady on X (@B_Holmer)

About Robynne:

Dr. Robynne Chutkan is an integrative gastroenterologist and the author of four books, Gutbliss, The Microbiome Solution, The Bloat Cure and The Antiviral Gut. Educated at Yale and Columbia, she is a faculty member at Georgetown Hospital and the founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness in Washington, D.C. A former Governing Board member and Training Committee Chair of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, she's authored dozens of scientific articles and lectured globally on the role of the microbiome in health and disease. A frequent medical expert on The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, and other media outlets, Dr. Chutkan is passionate about democratizing access to gut health information and introducing more dirt, sweat and vegetables into her patients lives.

Links:

Dr. Chutkan's Website: DrChutkan.com (formerly Gutbliss.com)

Dr. Chutkan on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, & YouTube

Be sure to order Dr. Chutkan's book, The Anti-Viral Gut: Tackling Pathogens from the Inside Out, releasing November 1. 

This podcast is brought to you by Emory Lifestyle Medicine & Wellness. To learn more about our work, please visit - https://bit.ly/EmoryLM

About Sam:

Sam Cutler is a Harvard-trained nutrition health coach and the founder of MINDFULL, a wellness brand dedicated to empowering individuals to take control of their health through sustainable, evidence-based practices. With a deep understanding of the intricate connection between nutrition, mental well-being, and physical health, Sam advocates for a holistic approach to wellness that goes beyond the scale. Her expertise has transformed the lives of countless people, helping them achieve lasting health and vitality. Sam is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, known for her compassionate and practical guidance on navigating the often-confusing world of modern wellness. 

Links:

Follow Sam on Instagram (@thefitfatale)

Follow MINDFULL on Instagram (@mindfull.so)

Learn more about MINDFULL at www.mindfull.so

About Matt:

Dr. Matthew Dawson attended medical school at The University of Kentucky before completing his residency in emergency medicine at The University of Utah, where he served as both chief resident and fellow. After practicing medicine and serving as an associate professor at the University of Kentucky for seven years, Dr. Dawson developed a deep interest in genomics and epigenetics, realizing their potential to revolutionize our understanding of health and longevity.

As the CEO of TruDiagnostic, Dr. Dawson leads the company’s mission to advance the science of epigenetics and provide groundbreaking insights into aging and disease prevention. His dedication to optimizing human performance, which began with his personal focus on fitness and nutrition, has evolved into a professional pursuit of harnessing epigenetic data to extend health span and improve overall well-being. Under his leadership, TruDiagnostic is at the forefront of epigenetic testing and research, empowering individuals and researchers with actionable information about biological aging, disease susceptibility, and personalized health strategies. Dr. Dawson’s passion for using cutting-edge science to impact lives is evident in his efforts to bridge the gap between epigenetic research and practical healthcare applications. He has trained physicians and healthcare providers in the importance of epigenetic markers, ensuring that TruDiagnostic’s work continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in preventive health. He regularly shares insights through public speaking and educational platforms, advocating for the role of epigenetics in reshaping healthcare.

Links:

Learn more about TruDiagnostic at trudiagnostic.com

Download the Hollis app

Follow TruDiagnostic on Instagram (@trudiagnosticofficial), X (@trudiagnostic), and LinkedIn (TruDiagnostic)

About Susannah:

Susannah Fox is a health and technology strategist. Her book, Rebel Health: A Field Guide to the Patient-Led Revolution in Medical Care, was recently published by MIT Press. She is a former Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she led an open data and innovation lab. She has served as the entrepreneur-in-residence at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and she directed the health portfolio at the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project.

Links:

Visit Susannah's website at susannahfox.com

Find Susannah on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Threads, and Instagram

About Scott:

Scott Fulton is a unique leader in the aging space. He lectures on aging at two university campuses, is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, sits on the prestigious True Health Initiative Council, and is past president of the National Aging in Place Council. He is the author of Whealthspan, More Years, More Moments, More Money. Scott is also an Ironman triathlete and lives with his wife in Charlottesville, VA.

Links:

Find Scott's book, Whealthspan, More Years, More Moments, More Money, on Amazon at https://a.co/d/4gfK1NS